Committee backs committee substitute to create separate licensed‑midwife credential under Board of Registered Nurses

The Senate Government Organization Committee voted to report a committee substitute for Senate Bill 482 to the full Senate with a recommendation that it pass. The substitute would establish a separate license for licensed midwives while placing licensure under the oversight of the Board of Registered Nurses rather than creating a separate midwifery board.

Committee counsel Carl explained that the bill would add a distinct licensing structure for licensed midwives in Chapter 30 of the West Virginia Code while keeping administration under the Board of Registered Nurses. He said the committee substitute includes technical changes requested by stakeholders, including reorganizing divisions and subdivisions and adjusting scribe privileges.

The bill is supported, Carl said, by the Board of Registered Nurses and midwifery groups across the state. Zach Nunley appeared as a representative on behalf of West Virginia midwives and was available to answer questions. No amendments were offered. The vice chair moved to report the committee substitute to the full Senate with the recommendation that it pass; the committee approved the motion by voice vote and the committee substitute will be reported to the full Senate.

The substitute modifies licensing structure and scope-of-practice language modeled on existing registered-nurse provisions; it does not create an independent licensing board for midwives. The committee discussion recorded no formal amendments and no recorded roll-call vote in the transcript; the action was adopted by voice vote.

The bill will proceed to the full Senate for further consideration.